Establishing your fitness goals

More often than not, we try to set goals above our capacity. We think it’s the right thing to do as we are fashioned in that way, to dream big and reach the sky. It’s good to dream but when it comes to the achievement of goals, let’s face it, we need to be realistic. Coming to fitness goals, its important to take a more calculated approach when setting them and its best to start with small scale goals then revise them later. If you have an unachievable goals or aspirations that are too big it’s likely that you may fail, and in the end, you will be more demotivated than ever.

Breaking a big goal into smaller, realistic goals can help you both mentally and physically. This method can also help you improve your fitness level gradually and safely, which helps to build confidence. The first step should be writing down tangible and measurable fitness goals. If you want to focus on weight loss, then weigh yourself and measure yourself in inches. Then decide how much you really think you can drop in a set time period, say a month. To measure strength, you can take up a strength measuring test like the three minute push up a test for instance and measure how close you get to it with time.

When keeping this fitness goal its vital to keep in sight your body mass index, basic metabolic rate, (which is largely influenced by genes), fat distribution and also your lifestyle.

Once you have set you fitness goals and the diet and workout regime you will follow to meet them, the next step is to establish some accountability measure. Accountability is important because without it, how can you make sure you are not losing your focus. Set the frequency and time limit of your workout regime and stick to it. Also, set your diet goals which could be a weekly diet chart which you think is appropriate for you or you may get expert advice from a dietician on what is best for you. It may also help to maintain a food diary so that you note down all the foods you are eating and keep count of the calories.

Another mode of accountability is to go steady with your diet and workout BFF. Having a “we’re in this together” buddy not only reinforces accountability but also provides positive weight loss and weight-maintenance motivation. You can call your buddy if you find yourself wavering and they will help you stay on the right track. You can even get a little competition going to boost yourselves further.

Also, Experts agree that physical activity is the key to maintaining weight loss, and one of the best ways to stay on track is to keep a fitness log. It can be as simple as marking an “X” on a calendar on days you exercise; it’s motivating to see a chain of Xs that you won’t want to break. One more step to keeping accountability intact is, use one of the hundreds fitness apps available online. You may not be able to afford a personal trainer who pushes you to complete reps or stick to your goals but an app can do most of the job.

Last but not the least, measure and optimize your goals. Your weighing scale and measuring tape should be your partners all through the way. Break down your monthly goals into smaller weekly tasks and keep a record of your fitness every week. Optimizing your goals this way ought to make you feel good about yourself. Or if you don’t yet, you most definitely will when others start to notice the change in you!